From the Pastor

Lift Up Your Hearts

A few steps closer to normal ...

By now most are well aware that our governor has advanced our region to “Yellow” status with regard to social distancing and other precautions as of this past Friday, May 15. Bishop Zubik has offered revised guidelines for our church life in continued alignment with local and state public health and wellness guidelines and recommendations. The bishop is allowing churches to reopen for private prayer, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, as well as continuing directives regarding small weddings and funeral Masses, after meeting cleaning and sanitizing guidelines, and informing visitors they must follow public health directives including wearing masks, and honoring social distancing requirements.

As I share with you our updated schedule for Confessions (in church) and times when church will be opened for visits and personal prayer, please cooperate in wearing a face mask whenever in church for either private prayer or confession, please be respectful of the need to limit the number of individuals permitted in church at one time to 25, and please follow all posted directives to maintain appropriate personal distance and to keep our church clean.

Effective Saturday, May 16:

We return to our ‘regular’ schedule for Confessions: Saturdays, 11:30am to 12:30pm at Saint Louise, and 12 noon to 12:30pm at Saint Joan; and Tuesdays, 6:30pm to 7:30pm at Saint Louise. Penitents must practice social distancing and all other safety guidelines, including wearing a face mask.

Limited funeral Masses and weddings continue, expanding to groups of no more than 25 people.

Saint Louise church will be open for private prayer daily (7 days/week) from 11:00am until 6:00pm, with safety guidelines in place including seating in designated areas only, the use of masks, hand sanitizers, and social distancing.

Livestream Masses will continue daily at 11:00am (7 days/week).

Moving forward from this phase, the diocese will look to return to the public celebration of the Holy Mass, with changes in place to allow for a safe experience, respectful of social distancing, and health and hygiene guidelines. More details will be released as we come closer to the next phase.

‘All Night Eucharistic Adoration’ on the Vigil of Pentecost. We will continue Adoration from 9:00pm on Saturday, May 30, through the hours of night, and the morning of Pentecost Sunday, May 31, up until our normal daily Adoration beginning time of 12 noon.

Yesterday, May 16, marked the 100th anniversary of the canonization of Saint Joan of Arc, whose feast we celebrate May 30. We should rejoice in the special relationship we enjoy with her as a patroness and a model of courageous faith in times of difficulty. Although it may not be that the Lord is calling on any one of us to raise an army, as He did with Saint Joan, it is clear that God still equips us with faith and ever gift needed so order our lives and our society according to His Will.